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Count the stars

As I get up
gassho to the bed for letting me sleep comfortably,
a bow as I put on slippers.

As I walk to the bathroom
gassho to the morning cold, well, just gassho.
As I shower
gassho to the water for making me clean at the start of the day,
and all the countless other reasons.

As I dry off,
gassho to the blanket, so I can be dry,
a bow as I get dressed.
Gassho to my clothes for all countless reasons.

As I wake up the kids,
gassho for their precious existence,
bowing to it while helping them to get dressed.

Gassho to the curtains as I open them up,
bowing to collect all what was dropped to the floor.
Gassho and bows as I straighten all the beds.

As I start up our "temple" for a new day.
Gassho to the lighting and electricity for all countless reasons.

As I light the kitchen furnace,
gassho to the heating so we can eat, be warm and safe.
Bowing to it, collecting what is needed to make breakfast.

A I collect and prepare breakfast
gassho to the freezer so we can eat.
Bowing to it as I feed the cat.

As the wife and kids eat and laugh,
gassho to all the people who worked hard and sometimes suffered
so we can be fed.
Bowing picking up dropped bread,
the birds get breakfast too
and nothing goes to waste.

As I make coffee
gassho to the coffee machine ( well, extra gassho for coffee) and all else
that came together in this single cup.

Gassho to the every single person and item,
that hands and minds will encounter, use or interact with today,
serving all needs, mine and of all others.

Bow and sit morning Zazen.

And all of it in a unexplained way,
does gassho back.
Wearing the kesa that is "this"
The kesa that is "this", is wearing.
All is complete and whole
Honor this miracle
not wasting a single moment,
practicing being in every one.
Not a string of separate pearls
but one single, shiny pearl.
Nothing sacred,
because everything is sacred.
Nothing special
because everything is special.

Stopping the action of gassho
but keeping the same intention
throughout the day,
opens views never imagined,
makes us do gassho
without intention.

Do not forget too, to Gassho and feel gratitude for the burned toast, the sickness, the lost job, the ugly news on the tv, the stuff that gets in the way and does not go our way ... the ... all of it! ... gratitude & Great Gratitude ...

Bringing us to "this"
Always here, but sometimes pretending otherwise.
Gassho and bowing, like active mudras to bring us
to what is spoken "the reality of inter being is unsurpassed".
The most subtle, wondrous, and ordinary.
Many thanks Enkyo for the poem.

Gassho, Enkyo and all in this sangha.
Happy Holidays to you all and yours as I stop work for some precious days with friends and family.
To Jundo and Taigu for their patience.

"Know that the practice of zazen is the complete path of buddha-dharma and nothing can be compared to it....it is not the practice of one or two buddhas but all the buddha ancestors practice this way."
Dogen zenji in Bendowa